George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FL4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Business Number: 703-993-2220
Fax Number: 703-993-8911
speccoll@gmu.edu
URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu
Finding aid prepared by Jordan Patty
Administrative Information
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Preferred Citation
Colin F. McClare papers, Collection #C0116, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.
Acquisition Information
Unknown.
Processing Information
Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff. EAD markup completed by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty in August 2009.
Biographical Information
Colin F. McClare was a biophysics professor who spent much of his academic career trying to devise a new theory to explain biochemical processes. As a student, he attended Felsted School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he studied chemistry. As a Medical Research Council student in 1958-1961, McClare conducted research on free radicals at Cambridge. As a Beit Fellow in 1961-1963, he researched energy transfer in nucleic acids. McClare was awarded a Ph.D. in 1962, after which he became a lecturer in Biophysics at King's College, London in 1963-1977. McClare's research in bioenergetics and the problems of muscle contraction led him to conclude that classical thermodynamics was inadequate to explain biological processes and that the application of the Second Law of Thermodynamics to biological machines required the introduction of time scales. His ideas were not generally accepted and, although he wrote extensively on the subject, his papers were denied publication until four controversial papers appeared in the Journal of Theoretical Biology and Nature, 1971-1972. The essays generated vigorous debates among scientists all over the world, but ultimately, McClare's unorthodox views failed to gain the approval of established scientific opinion.
Scope and Content
This collection contains revisions of a manuscript on biophysics as well as correspondence with George Mason University biology professor Harold Morowitz.
Arrangement
Organized by subject and date.
Related Material
Special Collections and Archives also holds the Harold Morowitz papers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Biophysics
- McClare, Colin William Fraser, 1937-1977
- Morowitz, Harold J.
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- McClare, Colin William Fraser, 1937-1977
- Morowitz, Harold J.
Container List
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 1
Correspondence: McClare/Morowitz1972, 1974, 1976Scope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 2
Correspondence: Morowitz/McClare, G./Lieb/Rosenberg1977-1988Scope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 3
Revised McClare Manuscript Edited by Harold Morowitz and Shalid KhanundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 4
Revised McClare ManuscriptundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 5
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, Preface to pg. 90, notesundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 6
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, pages 91-150, notesundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 7
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, pages 151-193undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 8
Manuscript of Book: Colin McClare, pages 194-250undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 9
Manuscript of Book: Colin McClare, pages 251-325undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 1 folder: 10
Manuscript of Book: Colin McClare, pages 326-369undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 1
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, pages 370-421undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 2
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, pages 422-526undatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 3
Manuscript of Book: Colin F. McClare, notesundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 4
Chemical Machines, Maxwell's Demon and Living OrganismsundatedScope and Contents note
- Mixed Materials box: 2 folder: 5
ManuscriptundatedScope and Contents note